Bibbins leads Utes past Hilltoppers in NIT semis

[March 28, 2018]  Senior guard Justin Bibbins scored 19 points to lead second-seeded Utah past fourth-seeded Western Kentucky 69-64 in an NIT semifinal matchup Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden in New York.

Junior guard Sedrick Barefield added 14 points, senior forward David Collette added 13 points and seven rebounds and senior forward Tyler Rawson had 12 points and eight boards for Utah (23-11).

The Utes will face fourth-seeded Penn State, who defeated fellow No. 4 seed Mississippi State later Tuesday night, in the NIT championship game on Thursday.

Senior forward Justin Johnson scored a game-high 24 points with 11 rebounds for Western Kentucky (27-11). Junior guard Lamonte Bearden added 12 points, and senior forward Dwight Coleby finished with 10 points and a game-leading 13 rebounds for the Hilltoppers.

Utah is making its second straight NIT appearance, its third since 2014 and 14th overall.

Johnson's layup with 1:28 remaining in the game put the Hilltoppers up 64-63 entering the final minute. Rawson swung the lead back to the Utes with his 3-pointer with 38 seconds left on the clock.

Bearden was whistled for an offensive foul with 22.9 seconds left and Johnson fouled Bibbins with 14.9 seconds to go. Bibbins hit both free throws to pad the Utah lead and Barefield made 1 of 2 at the line with five ticks left to seal it.

 

Utah erased a 19-11 first-quarter deficit to force a 32-all tie at halftime, and both teams put up 19 points in the third quarter to make it 51-all going into the fourth.

The Utes earned their NIT semifinal berth with wins against seventh-seeded UC Davis, third-seeded LSU and a 67-58 decision in triple overtime against top-seeded Saint Mary's in the quarterfinals on March 21.

The Utes won the 1947 NIT championship and lost in the tournament title game in 1974.

The Hilltoppers ascended to the NIT semifinals with wins against fifth-seeded Boston College, top-seeded Southern California and most recently a 92-84 triumph over second-seeded Oklahoma State on March 21 in the quarterfinals.

Western Kentucky was playing in its first NIT since 2006 and 14th overall.

--Field Level Media

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